Since being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, Michael Porter Jr. has quickly become one of the most-quoted individuals in New York City. It seems every few days a new passage from Porter is revealed, touching on topics ranging from gambling and women to now the work ethics of his NBA peers.

In a vlog titled “Positives and Negatives of the NBA Lifestyle!” posted to YouTube yesterday, Porter offers up the reality that not every player in the league is fighting to reach their full potential.

“Man, I think this was a myth for me coming in—something I believed—but I think it’s also a misconception that a lot of people believe: that everybody works really, really hard,” Porter Jr. said. “You have to be talented and gifted, and you do have to work hard to get here. But a lot of people don’t work on their game, don’t work on their bodies, don’t work on staying healthy. They don’t put the time into recovery as much as you would think.”

Given Porter’s injury history, it’s fair to assume that this is personal for him. He’s had two seasons—his rookie campaign in 2018-19 and 2021-22—where he’s been unable to appear in more than nine games, hence the emphasis on staying healthy.

“I have always been, as you know, super, super dedicated. I love to work hard. But I feel like that’s not the case for every NBA player. I was also forced into it due to my injury situation,” Porter continued.

Porter then referenced the modern game’s definition of longevity: LeBron James. According to the Nets’ forward, James is a prime example of the positive results an NBA player can have if they truly focus on taking care of their body.

“There are a lot of talented and gifted players — but not all are dedicated. That’s the misconception: that hard work is universal in the league. Now, you do have the dudes who are super dedicated. Like Bron—he’s been in the league 20 years, maybe more. His body… like, he’s a tremendous worker,” Porter said. “But then you’ve also got the dudes who are just chilling, for real. Especially once they get paid, you see some guys kind of chill out a little.”

While not as headline-dominant as discussing Andrew Tate or Jontay Porter’s off-court issues, Porter’s words are impactful. As someone who’s gone through quite a long injury history as a 27-year-old, Brooklyn’s big-time summer addition certainly knows what he’s talking about.

Nets fans just hope the words translate into a healthy 2025-26 season for Porter.